Hell or High Water
by Ryssasaurus Rex
Summary: When Kurogane falls ill Fai and Syaoran do what they can to help him recover, but as time goes on this mysterious illness looks less and less like a simple cold and like something far more sinister. [[KuroFai]] ((format errors should be fixed, thank you User Koko-chan1))
1. Chapter 1

Big thanks to user Koko-chan1 for pointing out a huge formatting error that FFN decided I didn't need to see but everyone else did. You are the hero Gotham deserves!

**A/N:** I have a problem and it's a serious lack of BAMF!Fai and damsel!Kurogane. I'm here to fix this one step at a time. I was gonna make this just a long one-shot but I decided to split it into two parts because it wound up longer than I thought. I'll hopefully have the second part out before I have to start working on the KuroFai gift exchange, but no promises.

**Warnings:** talk of illness, mild mindcontrol (later chapters), light angst

* * *

One of the things that caused them the biggest problems on their travels was magic, without a doubt. Sometimes it was magic being used against them, sometimes it was simply Fai and Syaoran's magic being unwelcome. On occasion it was even the manjuu speaking out of turn and causing a spectacle. Anyway way you looked at it, though, magic was the root of a lot of problems for the travelers.

On the days that Fai and Syaoran's magic was the cause Kurogane was quietly thankful he didn't possess a lick of it. One less thing to worry about and he didn't need it anyway. But on the days where all that could save the day was magic he felt the fleeting ping of regret that he couldn't help. He would never wish for magic, both because he knew very well the dangers of wishing and because he was honestly happy with his strengths. He had seen what magic could do, powerful magic was a danger simply by existing and he didn't envy those who had it.

It was well into the morning by the time Kurogane stepped out of the house. They had arrived in their current world late in the afternoon the previous day. The town they were in seemed to be a port city of some sort along a river. It hadn't taken long for them to realize that magic was a part of everyday life for the people here and Mokona had become very active immediately after. Kurogane supposed he couldn't fault her too much, the manjuu had had to keep a low profile in the last two worlds. Even the ninja supposed she deserved to enjoy her freedom a bit.

Finding lodgings hadn't been an issue either. The sun had hardly set when Fai had merrily led them to an old house. The owner apparently also ran the café they'd stopped in earlier and had been very fond of Fai. The old woman had agreed to let them stay in the empty house if they worked on fixing it up a bit as payment. It was all very convenient. The town as a whole was friendly and lively and all of this probably should have been the first thing to tip Kurogane off that something was going to go very wrong.

"Haa, good morning, Kuro-pii," Fai said brightly from where he was clearing off some vines that had climbed up and around the fence of the house. "You slept late today, how unlike you."

It was true, Kurogane was usually up with the sun, or at least not far behind. Today, though, he felt sluggish and his head hurt like nothing else. Upon taking a proper look at the ninja Fai dropped the winding plants and walked over to him, concern clear on his face. He lifted a hand to Kurogane's forehead and frowned.

"Are you feeling alright?" he asked as his hand made its way down his neck and up the side of his face, touching gently, most likely searching for fever. "You look a mess."

Kurogane grunted and closed his eyes, leaning his head into Fai's gentle touch. He really was not feeling himself. "My head is killing me, and my body feels heavy," he reported. He knew better than to try and play it off as nothing, especially if Fai had already noticed with a simple glance. If he just gave in and let the wizard take care of him he'd be on his feet again in no time. It wasn't ideal, but it would be a lot easier than Fai forcing care on him, and right now Kurogane didn't feel like putting up a fight over something so little.

Clucking softly under his breath Fai began to usher Kurogane back inside. "Looks like you've caught yourself a cold, Kuro-min." Kurogane grunted and allowed himself to be bustled back into the bedroom. "No fever yet, so some bed rest should help. It's a good thing this happened in a place that was friendly. It'd be awful if you caught ill in a dangerous world."

As Fai chattered on Kurogane let himself be manhandled out of his clothing and into a soft shirt and pants and under the blankets of the bed he and Fai had been sharing last night. "Quit fussing," he groused, batting halfheartedly at Fai's hands. "I'll be fine in a day, maybe two."

They should have at least that long in this world. They jumped at all sorts of intervals but it was rare for them to leave after only a day. He'd have time to rest and as embarrassing as it was to be weakened by something so little as a cold he knew his limits and when to push them or not. He also knew when to push back against Fai's fretting and when to just let the wizard have his way. If he played his cards right Fai might let Kurogane up from bed long enough to get some cleaning done.

If there was one thing he hated more than being ill it was how useless it made him feel when there was stuff to be done and he wasn't doing it.

"Let me finish with the fence and then I'll bring you some soup," Fai said, closing the curtains to block out the sun. "Stay here and relax."

Kurogane huffed but otherwise did as he was told. He really was feeling awful. He hadn't felt this bad since he was younger and Tomoyo had to post Souma outside of his door to make sure he didn't try to continue his duties until he was better. He smiled at himself as he thought about what Tomoyo would be saying is she knew he was letting himself be taken care of. For the sake of his dignity, she was never finding out about this.

Not long had passed before the doorknob started jiggling and Mokona all but flew into the room. She bound up to him and landed gently on the bed beside him rather than atop his head as per usual. Fai must have told her he was feeling under the weather. The manjuu could be surprisingly thoughtful when she wanted to be.

Mokona climbed her way up to Kurogane's shoulder and perched there, nuzzling briefly against his face. "Fai told Mokona that Kurogane was sick!" she announced. "Mokona knows Kurogane doesn't like laying around so Mokona came to help!"

"Uh-huh," Kurogane said, raising an eyebrow. "And how do you plan on doing that?"

Apparently there were plenty of things the old lady wanted to have polished - plaques, silverware, knick-knacks of all sorts. It wasn't the sort of thing Kurogane would have chosen to do, but it would keep his hands busy and allow him to be useful.

Kurogane polished each object with practiced ease. Their shapes might have been different than a sword but the motion of polishing was still the same. As Kurogane finished one Mokona would hand him another and then bounce off to add the finished piece to the slowly growing pile. His headache never subsided, but the work was helping keep his mind off of it and Mokona for her part was prattling quietly and keeping from bouncing around too much.

He smelled the food before he saw it or Fai. "There you are Mokona," he said as he set the steaming bowl of broth down on the table. There was also a small plate with a thick slice of bread on it and a cup of water. "I told you Kuro-pon needed to rest."

"Feh," Kurogane said, waving Fai off. "I'm resting plenty. I would be too irritated to properly rest if I were just laying here doing nothing."

Fai just shook his head and shooed Mokona out, pulling up a chair and preparing to spoon feed Kurogane, who was having none of that. He snorted and took the bowl of soup out of Fai's hands, holding the spoon carefully and trying not to spill it all over himself, which was hard for him to manage easily still on a good day. He did fine for the most part, even with Fai sniggering occasionally at how slowly he was eating.

Once he was finished eating Fai set the dishes aside and began to fuss over him again.

"At least you still have an appetite," Fai muttered. "That's always a good sign. Do you feel any better or worse?"

Kurogane shrugged and leaned back against the headboard. "I'm no worse off. A good night's sleep and I'll be fine."

It didn't look like Fai agreed with his assessment. "Maybe I should go into town and see if they have a healer."

With a sigh Kurogane grabbed Fai's hands, stopping them from tucking and retucking the blanket around him. "Give it a few days and I'll be back to normal, if I'm still like this in a week I'll let you take me to a healer."

Fai still didn't look over joyed with the idea, but he still nodded and leaned over to kiss Kurogane's forehead. "You've got four days to get better," he said into Kurogane's hair. The ninja didn't argue, he was sure that was more than enough time.

"Now quit your worrying and let the manjuu back in," he said, tugging lightly on a bit of Fai's hair. "We've got stuff to do."

Logically, Fai knew he was over reacting. Colds happened to everyone, and with all the world jumping it was bound to catch up to Kurogane eventually. Still, it didn't stop the uneasy feeling churning around in his stomach. He wasn't sure if it was just because seeing Kurogane pale and tired was so unusual or if it was a more instinctual reaction bred into him by lack of healing magic. Either way he decided it was probably best to keep himself busy, distract himself before he wound up carrying Kurogane into town to see someone, and he didn't doubt for a moment, especially with Kurogane sick and unable to resist him at full strength, that he'd be able to.

Absently, he started wiping down the kitchen counters and straightening the cabinet doors. He was rooting around in the drawers looking for something to tighten a few of the screws when Syaoran came in. Fai had sent him out into town not long before Kurogane had finally woken up to pick up a few things they needed around the house. The kind old lady who was letting them stay there had offered to buy any tools needed to fix up the place.

"Fai-san, I'm back," Syaoran called, coming into the kitchen and setting several bags down on the counter. "I'm pretty sure I got everything on the list. Where's Kurogane-san?"

Earlier Syaoran had been fairly worried that Kurogane was sleeping in, testament to how unusual it was. It had been part of the reason Fai had sent him out on errands. "It seems Kuro-sama's landed himself a cold," Fai said, rooting around in the bags Syaoran had brought, emerging victorious with a screwdriver. "I''ve put him on bed rest for now. He should be fine in a few days."

Syaoran glanced over at where the bedroom was. "I hope so, it's strange not having him up and about."

Fai hummed quietly in agreement. Kurogane was certainly someone who was always doing something. It wasn't often that he just stopped and relaxed and when he did it was usually after Fai had wheedled him into it. There was something surreal about the sight of Kurogane laid up in bed, pale and subdued. The image sat oddly in Fai's mind.

"We're just going to have to work extra hard so he doesn't worry," Fai said, smiling and wagging a finger at Syaoran. "You know how Kuro-daddy is if there's work to be done."

The look Syaoran gave him suggested that he'd just tried to picture an ill Kurogane fixing a leaky roof and had decided he'd rather not see it play out in real life.

The rest of the afternoon was spent getting the kitchen in tip top shape. There was more to be done than met the eye - shelves and cabinet doors to be secured, dust to be wiped away, and cobwebs to be cleared out. Between the pair of them, though, the work went by easily enough.

The real challenge came when Syaoran discovered that the pipes under the sink were leaking. Try as the pair of them might they could not figure out what exactly was leaking or how to stop it. At some point Syaoran must have angered the pipes with his attempt at stopping the constant dripping because an unprecedented and powerful spray of water soaked both of them before returning to being a slow but unmistakable drip. Just as Fai was about ready to freeze the blasted things until he could figure out a better plan someone behind him spoke.

"What are you doing, mage?"

Fai startled a bit in surprise, apparently even a sick Kurogane could still move like a shadow. He wound up knocking his head on the bottom of the sink before he managed to scramble his way out from under it. Rubbing his head he looked up at Kurogane, who wasn't looking any better for his day spent in bed. "I was trying to fix a leaky pipe. I believe it's cursed."

Kurogane just raised an eyebrow before glancing over at Syaoran, sitting on the counter and looking wet and defeated. "We can't figure out how to fix it." Kurogane sighed and grabbed a few tools off the counter before nudging Fai aside and getting himself under the sink.

"Kuro-wan you're sick," Fai said, folding his arms over his chest and trying to look stern. "Get out of there, it's all damp and dirty."

Of course, Kurogane didn't listen to him. He only huffed and kept moving around under the sink. "Oh no," he said flatly. "Water. How awful."

Both Mokona and Syaoran giggled at that, though at least Syaoran had the decency to look sheepish when Fai shot the pair of them a look. For the next ten minutes Fai resisted the urge to pull Kurogane bodily out from under the sink and drag him off to bed and make him stay there. Eventually a hand appeared from where Kurogane was working along with a demand for a rag. Fai handed it to him and in less than two minutes Kurogane was working himself back up to his feet.

"There, that should work," he said, leaning heavily on the counter. Fai wasn't sure if it was his imagination or if Kurogane looked even worse for wear. The water on his face and shirt was definitely from the leaking pipe but with the way Kurogane was looking it could very well also be a sweat breaking out.

Taking the rag from him Fai used a clean corner to wipe off Kurogane's face, tsking as he went along. The fact that Kurogane didn't even grumble at the treatment, especially in front of Syaoran, just proved even further that he was not anything close to well. If he got much worse Fai was going to go back on his agreement of waiting four days before contacting a doctor or healer.

From his spot on the counter Syaoran watched the pair of them, obviously concerned. This wouldn't do, Fai thought to himself. Pulling Kurogane across the room and easing him into a chair and turned to Syaoran. "I'm going to run a bath and hopefully that'll help, Syaoran-kun could you handle making dinner?"

"Uh, yeah sure," he said, hopping off the counter and setting Mokona down in his place.

"And don't let Kuro-sama do anything," he added on his way out of the room. "Last thing we need is for all of us to get sick."

Kurogane grumbled something after him but it lacked his usual, grumpy enthusiasm and Fai failed to catch it.

Fai hadn't had time to fiddle with the knobs in the bathroom beforehand so it took a big longer than it should have to get the water to work properly. He was glad they'd been in several worlds with plumbing, it meant he knew what temperature Kurogane liked his bathwater to be and could skip the guess work. By the time he had the bath drawn and had come to fetch Kurogane Syaoran was setting down a bowl of stew in front of him and scooping out a second and third helping for Fai and himself. With a few runes Fai charmed the bath water to keep warm while they ate.

It was good news, Fai supposed, that Kurogane hadn't lost his appetite at least. From what Fai knew stomach bugs could get particularly nasty. When a gentle press of his hand against Kurogane's forehead revealed the lack of a fever as well Fai allowed himself to relax a little. A bit of fatigue never killed anyone who rested for a while. He would still be keeping a close eye on Kurogane's condition but he didn't need to worry so much. At least, that's what he tried to tell himself as he took his helping of stew from Syaoran.

The night ended on a quiet note after that. Kurogane allowed Fai to herd him from bath to bed and even managed to scrounge up some token protests. Syaoran slipped off into the yard somewhere clutching a pair of books to his chest. Fai recognized one of them as something they'd picked up a few worlds ago that Syaoran hadn't had a proper chance to read yet. As much as the young man loved adventure Fai knew how much he coveted the calm, quiet time he could spend with his books.

By the time Fai had cleaned up from dinner Kurogane was fast asleep with Mokona nestled contentedly in the crook of his arm. When she looked up at him he put a finger to his lips and gently scooped her up. Not too long ago just entering the room would have been enough to wake Kurogane from a dead sleep and were it anyone other than Fai or Syaoran he would be up, but even in sleep Kurogane seemed to recognize them. So long as Fai was quiet Kurogane didn't stir.

Slipping out of the room as quietly as he had slipped in Fai perched Mokona on his shoulder while he pulled on his boots. He'd been meaning to explore the town and he would have preferred to do that with Kurogane, but with the ninja sleeping and Fai unwilling to take up any of Syaoran's precious reading time he would just have to venture out alone with Mokona.

The town at night was a lovely sight. Innumerable lanterns were strung between buildings and down the roads, casting everything in a soft, golden glow. Occasionally there would be floating balls of light floating in midair rather than lanterns. There didn't seem to be any rhyme or reason between using lanterns or the glowing balls, Fai supposed it must have just been a personal preference.

He really did enjoy worlds where magic was an everyday part of life. The air hummed with the wisps of magic that poured from people, mingling in the air like invisible smoke and invigorating the senses. Everything here felt so alive and vivid Fai was amazed he had gotten to sleep the night before. The world was so energizing he could hardly keep himself still. As he walked he could feel a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. It had been a long time since their journey had begun, but Fai still marveled at his ability to produce an honest smile sometimes.

It was a shame Kurogane was sick, he thought, peering into shops on a whim and stopping to chat with a few vendors. The glow of the lanterns and their magical counterparts was almost romantic.

"Ahh! What a cutie!"

Fai barely had time to turn around before Mokona was leaping off his shoulder and into the waiting arms of a handful of young children, each of them cooing over her in turn. Mokona giggled happily, bouncing from child to child and soaking up the affection and compliments. She exclaimed proudly about her many admirers, completely caught up in the attention. Warning her not to wander off too far Fai turned back to his conversation with a jeweler he'd stopped to chat with.

"I'm sorry, you were telling me about the river?" he smiled, gesturing to the soft light coming from a few rows of buildings away. He hadn't noticed the glow from the house last night and from what the young jeweler had told him already the light was only to be seen at night.

She smiled up at him and continued explaining as she threaded bead after bead on a necklace. "The water is only ever a few inches deep, you would hardly get your ankles wet if you were to walk in it. It's why you don't see any boats," she explained. She'd found it a bit odd that he hadn't known anything about the river, but a simple explanation of being a traveler from a far off land had been enough to get her to give him an impromptu lesson. "Even when it overflows on the new moon it doesn't get any deeper."

"Why does it overflow?" It seemed to be a regular occurrence the way she nonchalantly explained it, not even anything to make particular notice of.

The look she gave him hinted that even if he was from far away he should still know that much. She did answer him, however. "To take the offerings," she stated. "The water comes ashore and takes just a little bit of magic from each person. It's what gives the moon stones their shine and keeps the river flowing."

Fai wasn't sure he liked the idea of anything coming and taking even a drop of his magic to be honest. The relationship between people and river seemed to be symbiotic, though, and they all seemed perfectly content to allow the river's water to take what it needed, trusting it not to take too much. It was a lovely idea, so long as Fai had no part in it. He glanced up at the clear night sky to see only a tiny sliver of moon. In this world, though, he couldn't tell if it was coming or going.

He would have stayed and talked a bit more, but the laughter of children had grown distant and the last thing he needed was to start talking what might as well be gibberish to this poor girl. He excused himself and went to collect Mokona.

Kurogane woke briefly to Fai worming his way into bed. His mind was still muddled with sleep and sick as he wrapped an arm around Fai's waist and pulled him close to nuzzle at the top of his head. He thought he heard Fai saying something about getting him sick too, but Kurogane was already drifting back to sleep before he could really give it any thought.

When he woke again he felt worse than he had the day before. His head still ached and his entire body felt heavy and sluggish. He was alone in bed and a quick glance out the window showed that he'd nearly slept until noon today. Standing made the world tilt and Kurogane all but stumbled to the sink in the bathroom down the short hall. He splashed cool water on his face and used his shirt to dry his face and wipe more cool water across the back of his neck. He didn't feel feverish but the cool water helped a little with the nausea his dizziness was causing. He felt absolutely miserable. For a moment he considered letting Fai go into town and bring a doctor.

He tossed the idea quickly, though. There was no need to worry Fai or the kid and he remembered some of the servants back home talking about illnesses getting worse before getting better. He would be fine, he told himself as he slowly made his way back towards his room after taking care of his business in the bathroom.

He hung his wet shirt by the doorknob and practically collapsed back into bed, spent from his short walk. It was ridiculous that he was so weak just because he had a cold, embarrassing really.

He didn't know if he had been laying there for an hour or a few minutes when Fai walked in, footsteps light like he was trying not to wake Kurogane. "I'm up, mage," he grunted. "In a manner of speaking."

"You're feeling worse?" Fai asked and Kurogane might have felt guilty about the worry in his voice if he'd been someone else. It was nice, though, to know Fai cared about him so openly. He still remembered the distance that had cropped up between them that had left him aching. He'd take Fai being overly concerned with him than that cold stare any day.

Kurogane grunted the affirmative, deciding that being articulate was too much hassle at the moment. The bed dipped beside him as Fai sat and reached a hand to press against his cheek and neck. The wizard ran soothing fingers through his hair and Kurogane was glad he didn't coo at him like when the manjuu or kid received similar treatment. He kept his eyes closed and let Fai do as he pleased. The spinning had stopped now that he was laying down, but the fatigue of fighting it to get himself to and from the bathroom had taken a toll on him. If he didn't have to Kurogane wasn't going to so much as sit up for the rest of the day.

"Are you sure about going to see someone?" Fai asked, pulling the blanket back over Kurogane.

"You said four days, mage," he mumbled as he felt his eyes drooping. He'd only just woken up but sleep was pulling at him. The last things he remembered were Fai's concerned face and his own reassurances, though he wasn't sure if he had said them out loud or only thought them.

The next time he woke it was dark and he could hear Mokona chattering about something, her voice too muffled by the walls for him to make out without trying. On the little table beside the bed was a cup of water and a few slices of bread. There was a note in Syaoran's unpracticed handwriting that Kurogane was pretty sure was supposed to say "please eat". He sat up and reached for the water, pleased that the world remained firmly in place as he drank. The thought of eating seemed like too much trouble but he knew better than to forgo food when he was ill.

He ate slowly and thought about calling for the manjuu, knowing they still had several knick knacks that still needed polishing but by the time he was finished sleep was already reclaiming him. The world blurred around the edges and Kurogane could have sworn he'd heard voices on the wind.

When he woke next it was to Fai curled against him as the grey light of dawn filtered in through a gap in the curtains. The world around him seemed muddled and he had a hard time pulling a coherent thought forth through the haze. The wind outside was hissing through tree branches and lulling him back to sleep before he could muster the energy to be concerned about his condition.

Someone was talking to him, or maybe just about him. He recognized the voice, it came with blue eyes and silky hair. For some reason he couldn't remember the name.

"We're going into town," the voice told him. He felt something touch his face, brushing against his cheek. "Syaoran-kun and I will be back soon with a healer."

He tried to work through the fog in his brain an understand what was going on but try as he might nothing got any clearer. The voices left and for a while it was silent. Then another voice came. This one he didn't recognize right away, though it felt familiar in an almost painful way. It was saying something and he fought to hear it.

"You-ou."

Something was wrong.

Struggling against the heaviness in his limbs Kurogane sat up and shook his head, hoping to clear it. There shouldn't be anyone there that knew that name. The voice said it again, still achingly familiar though he couldn't place it. Had his mind been clearer he would have cursed himself and this world. They should have known it was too quiet to trust. He stumbled to his feet and looked around the room.

"You-ou," the voice sang as a body began to appear by the door.

With what little strength he had he summoned Ginryuu, the mage's magic rushing through his body granted him a brief moment of clarity, enough to realize that he was in deep shit if Fai and Syaoran didn't come back very soon. He didn't need a healer, he wasn't sick.

He was under attack.

The figure said his true name once more and the last thing Kurogane noticed was Ginryuu clattering to the floor from his slackened hand.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Wow that was longer than I thought it'd be! Haha.

**Warnings:** talk of illness, mild mindcontrol, light angst

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Over the next two days Kurogane's condition only seemed to worsen. He slept all day and could hardly sit up and stay awake long enough to eat. Finally, when Fai couldn't even wake Kurogane up enough to have him drink some water, he decided that it was time to get a doctor.

Syaoran, the brilliant boy, had managed to hunt down a doctor in town at some point and was going to lead Fai there. As he and Syaoran got ready to head out Fai went back into the room and spoke to Kurogane, hoping he was at least coherent enough to hear him. "We're going into town. Syaoran-kun and I will be back soon with a healer."

It didn't look like Kurogane had even heard him and the way his head leaned into Fai's touch only made him worry more. This was the last time he let Kurogane call the shots when it came to his health. Fai cursed himself for not listening to his instincts before, if he had Kurogane would be fine.

The sun was rapidly setting as they headed out. The doctor, of course, was located on the other side of town but running through the streets of a bustling market place was only going to incite panic. Syaoran, who was significantly less panicked than Fai, seemed wholly convinced that Kurogane would not drop dead in their absence, though he did agree that that should hurry. Their brisk pace got them a few curious glances, but no one paid them anymore mind than that.

Along the way Fai began to notice that the lanterns that had been strung up the other night when he'd walked the town had mostly been replaced with the floating orbs of light, there was hardly a lantern in sight. In passing he wondered if it had anything to do with the river overflowing tonight. Fai had kept a close watch on the moon and the small sliver he'd seen before had only gotten thinner. Tonight was the new moon and Fai had been hoping to move on before then.

They arrived at the clinic as an elderly man was locking the door as he left. The sun had set before they'd reached the town square and the sound of splashing began to accompany each footstep. Just like the young woman had told Fai before, the water was shallow and calm. If it was taking bits of his magic Fai couldn't tell, it was either taking so little he didn't notice or it had yet to draw from him.

"Sir!" Fai called, running up the pathway to the man. "Are you the healer here?"

"I am," he said. He looked a bit thrown off by Fai's urgency and he was glad the man was a professional. Fai could tell the moment he went from surprised, old man to concerned doctor. "What seems to be the trouble?"

Fai would be grateful towards Syaoran's level headedness to the day he died. The young man stepped in and explained Kurogane's symptoms as if he were a young doctor himself as Fai choked back what was sure to have been nonsensical babble. Fai didn't doubt that he'd been in similar enough situations to know how to handle them with a cool head. Mokona patted Fai sympathetically as the wizard did everything in his power not to pace as Syaoran and the old man exchanged information.

"Right, so tell me when was the last time your friend casted a major spell and what is his usual level of magic?" the doctor asked matter of factly.

Fai blinked at him a few times. "He doesn't have magic, at all."

The look on the doctor's withered face sent ice racing through Fai's veins. "No magic? Why is he here then? And on the night of the new moon no less!"

"What are you talking about?" Fai demanded over Syaoran's far more polite question. "What happens to people who can't use magic?"

"The river's guardian takes them. Without magic to offer they get spirited away. Non-magic folk avoid this town and others like it as if we had a plague, everyone knows this," he said grimly. "If you haven't set up wards around your home your friend is probably already long gone."

It was like the world had fallen away and shattered. Fai didn't stop, not when he felt Mokona fall from his shoulder, not when he heard Syaoran calling after him. Kurogane hadn't been ill at all, it had been that river and whatever magic it wove through the town. How had Fai not sensed it? How did he not notice? He had been so wrapped up in enjoying the feeling of this world's open magic and worrying after some phantom sickness that he'd failed to understand exactly what was going on.

And now Kurogane might have to pay the price.

His rushed footsteps splashed too loudly through town, the shallow water sounding like a mockery under his feet. He had fought through hell and worse to get to Kurogane and he'd be damn if some shiny body of water was going to come between them now. He slipped up once here, he wouldn't make the same mistake twice.

Fear shot through him when he arrived at the house to see the front door left wide open. Grasping at any last scrap of hope Fai ran into the house wishing to see an intruder like he never has before. True to form, though, his luck is rotten and rather than seeing a stranger or phantom in the room he only sees Ginryuu abandoned on the flooded floor, still sheathed.

It took an impossible amount of control not to collapse on the floor and scream into the magic-rich air for Kurogane. Moving numbly he bent down and grabbed the forgotten sword, clutching it tightly as if simply holding the sword would be enough to bring Kurogane back to him. There was rage pooling in his stomach, red hot and burning up his throat, and Fai used it to propel himself into action, determined to find his missing lover.

Ginryuu and Kurogane had a deep link. The sword was not only Kurogane's most prized possession but had been with his family for several generations. Kurogane had once told Fai that the handle had been carved in the image of the dragon who had guarded his family and their land. It should serve as more than enough to help Fai find him. The spell was a simple one, it didn't even require any runes. It was fueled mostly by intent.

Fai followed the light tugging in his chest out the front door and nearly right into Syaoran. He didn't need to ask what had happened when he saw Ginryuu in Fai's hands. Shock and fear turned his face pale for a moment before he reclaimed his composure. He followed after Fai's brisk footsteps without command.

"Fai-san, the doctor had more information," Syaoran reported. He was obviously out of breath, probably from running full tilt after the wizard in order to catch up with him. "The guardian of the river is probably taking Kurogane-san upstream. There's an oasis at the beginning of the river.

"Whatever it is that took him it's strong and won't just give him back. It uses the magic it gathers every month to live and ferry spirits into the afterlife. In this world spirits can't move on without help, that's why no one is bothered by the river taking their magic."

So he probably shouldn't try to kill the guardian. "Why is it taking him?"

Syaoran looked uneasy as he explained his next bit of information. "Because he didn't have any magic to offer the guardian assumed that he was offering himself as a protector for the oasis. If it gets Kurogane-san there his spirit will be pulled into the afterlife and his body will remain there to fight off dangers."

Fai stopped short and looked at Syaoran. "You have to be joking, that's insane! What about children who don't have enough magic to give to this river guardian? Does it steal them, too?"

"Apparently, that's what those glowing orbs are for. People create them to take the place of the sick or young who might not be able to give enough magic to the river," he explained.

And no one had seen fit to explain it or warn them because all of this was supposed to be common knowledge, even for travelers. Fai groaned and continued his march, the pull of the spell was leading him right to the riverbed, he could already see the faint glow of the stones not far in the distance.

"Do you know the warding spells to keep this thing away?" Fai asked as they drew closer to the river.

Syaoran shook his head. "I wanted to catch you before you ran off without any information." If things hadn't been so serious right then Fai would have laughed at his young companions chiding tone. Syaoran did have a point though, Fai had been reckless in his fear for Kurogane and he wasn't going to do anyone any favors by rushing in blindly.

"Right, find out and then place them on the house. Don't argue," Fai said, cutting off the argument he could practically see forming on Syaoran's lips. "I'll bring Kuro-sama back."

This close and with so much riding on him the river looked imposing and Fai took pause. "Anything else I should know?" Syaoran shook his head. He looked scared and so young right then and Fai wished he had some honest words of comfort to give him.

"I'm going to find him, Syaoran-kun, but…" Fai didn't want to think about if he failed. He knew his magic was what was keeping him safe, but if he angered this guardian by trying to reclaim Kurogane there was no telling what it would be able to do to him. He had to prepare for the worst. "But if I'm not back by dawn you're going to have to do whatever you feel is best."

"Fai-san?" Fai knew that Syaoran would follow after him without question. He loved them both dearly and he was a brave young man, but Fai would never ask that of him or expect it.

He turned to look his adopted son in the eyes. "Just remember that you have two far less self reliant lives riding on your shoulders before you come racing after us, okay?"

His and Sakura's clones were still not a dream any of them had given up on. They still searched endlessly for ways to revive them and always would. It felt unfair to use them against Syaoran like that, but it was important that the young man remember exactly what responsibilities he carried. Fai and Kurogane were very capable adults and Syaoran didn't need to take care of them.

Syaoran nodded and grabbed Fai's empty hand and squeezed it. "You'll be back."

Fai smiled and nodded. He made his way into the river with Mokona's cries of "Be careful!" echoing behind him.

True to Syaoran's words Fai's locating spell urged him upstream. Tightening his hold on Ginryuu he broke into a run. There was no way to know how far the river guardian had gotten with Kurogane and Fai didn't know how far away this oasis was. The faster he moved the better. He was mindful of the water and stones beneath his feet as he moved. He was officially on the guardian's turf and though the stones that covered river bed were as flat as any floor he had no doubts in his mind that it could all change in the blink of an eye.

Mythical guardians were not something Fai had ever really faced off against before. In their travels he had come across his fair share of them, and in Celes there had even been one fairly embarrassing run in with a hot spring guardian, but he had never had to face any of them in battle. He wished he had asked more questions about the river and it's history as he raced upstream into the unknown. He had curbed his curiosity in favor of not drawing too much attention to them being outsiders. Because of that he was practically heading into battle unarmed and at a severe disadvantage.

Still, Fai was sure there was little in this world or any other that would truly be able to keep him from Kurogane. He clung to that thought like he clung to Ginryuu as he continued to press forward.

Just as Fai's breath started coming up short he spotted a figure in the distance, a dark silhouette against the soft, white glow of the riverbed. He pushed himself and raced forward ever faster. As he drew closer to Kurogane he noticed that his lover was not alone. A beautiful woman was in front of him, leading him further up the river.

Fai didn't recognize the woman at all, but he did find her clothing familiar, though worryingly out of place. Long, dark hair fell loosely over the many layered robes that Fai associated with Nihon nobility. The clothes had no place in this world Fai was certain. The realization didn't tell him much, but it did tell him something.

This river guardian was not only able to change its appearance but it could borrow images from unguarded memories. Familiarity helped when attempting to magically coerce a person, the more personal the image the more effective the spell. If the image deviated from the memory is was borrowed from the spell would weaken, though not break entirely. Fai needed to figure out who this woman was, if she was anyone to Kurogane, and somehow break the illusion and quickly, he wasn't sure how long his own magic would be able to act as a buffer against the guardian's power. Without knowing the way it casted its enchantment he wouldn't be able to properly guard himself or Kurogane.

He was under no delusion that the river guardian didn't know he was there, so he didn't bother trying to be stealthy and called out for Kurogane. The guardian's borrow visage turned to look at him, eyes calculating and a bit shocked. Fai supposed that was fair, it wasn't likely that many people tried to stop it from doing as it pleased.

"Another foreigner, I see," the guardian's voice was soft and it echoed around Fai almost like its voice was coming from the river itself.

Readying himself for anything Fai continued to move closer. "I've come to take him back," he said. "We don't belong here, you have no right to take him."

The guardian chuckled at him, lifting a delicate hand to cover its imaginary mouth. "You can't have him, though you're welcome to try."

The guardian smiled at him and like a bolt of lightning Fai knew who he was looking at. The way the illusion's eyes softened, the gentle upward curve of the lips, the slight tilt of its head was all as familiar to Fai as his own face.

Anger on Kurogane's behalf flushed his face. If Kurogane was in his right mind and saw this- how dare this thing touch something so important to him! "You stole his mother's face!?"

"I'm surprised you knew," the illusion said, calm as the water they stood in. "You're not in any memories along with her."

Red hot rage flared up inside of him, but Fai tamped it down, losing his calm would only land him in trouble, he needed to keep a level head and get Kurogane away from this phantom of his past. Still, his skin crawled with the knowledge that this thing had rooted around in Kurogane's memories, taking and using them as it pleased. There were few greater violations of a person's self.

Securing Ginryuu into one of his belt loops Fai charged at the pair, flinging out a defensive spell, more to test the waters so to speak than actually defend against anything. The guardian leapt back, seemingly weightless as it gently touched down several yards away from where Fai stood, no protectively in front of Kurogane who hadn't moved or uttered a word during the entire exchange. He chanced a look back at the ninja and instantly wished he hadn't.

Whatever it was that the guardian had done Kurogane was deeply entranced. His face was lax and expressionless and his eyes were blank. It was so unlike the fierce, lively warrior Fai knew and loved it hurt to look at. The longer they were in this world the more reason he had to hate it.

Chancing turning his back to the river's illusion Fai took Kurogane's face in his hands. "Kuro-sama you have to wake up now!" For good measure he shook the ninja, spoke loudly so that he was practically shouting. "Kuro-sama wake up! Please!"

"It's amazing," the guardian said as it watched Fai try to wake Kurogane. "The heart holds such power inside of it without you ever knowing. Wishes kept quiet and close are the most powerful of all. The harder to grant the more influence they hold on a person."

Fai shot a filthy look over his shoulder. "Let him go!"

The guardian simply continued on as if Fai hadn't spoken to it. "The sweet cries of a child for his mother are nearly intoxicating in their strength, an alluring song not even I could ignore."

"He's moved on!" Fai hissed. "He avenged her."

His words were pointless denials. The wounds left by the loss of a loved one never really healed or went away. They hurt less, with time and care, but the hurt would always be present, an open wound more or less for all time. Fai still felt raw and broken at the thought of his brother, he could understand the yearning Kurogane felt for his mother. Right now, though, it was a hinderance and Fai needed to put a stop to it.

The illusion smiled at Fai again. For a split second Fai wondered if Kurogane's real mother would have liked him. "No little boy ever stops calling for his mother."

Instantly the image of a roaring, wild fire engulfed them, turning the serene water into a deadly, torn battle field. A dark shape was hunched down in front of the guardian, shaking as wide eyes stared unseeingly out over the landscape. The small shadow lifted it's head and howled in agony into the sky. It was a sound so lost and broken that Fai almost couldn't hold himself back from trying to go to him. The only thing that kept him still was the feel of the real Kurogane under his hands.

As quickly as it had appeared the vision vanished, leaving the air still and the world eerily silent. "So long as I call his name he is mine."

That was it! The guardian had finally given Fai the clue he needed to break Kurogane free of the enchantment. Name magic was powerful stuff, and dangerous as it linked the caster and the target together by their names. If not carefully regulated the spell could be flipped or spiral out of control and doom both parties. Fai assumed the guardian had no threat of this, probably existing without a true name to be used against it and having all of time to perfect its control.

Fai turned back to Kurogane, taking his face in his hands once more and weaving magic into his voice. He had studied name magic at length in Celes, always worried for his true name being discovered and used against him. This was familiar territory for him.

"Kurogane, wake up!" he commanded

Something flickered deep in those red eyes, but Kurogane's consciousness didn't surface. Confused and feeling panic begin to swell once more Fai tried again. And again. Still nothing more than a flicker, like Kurogane recognized his name being called but being unable to answer.

Behind him the guardian laughed, a cold and ruthless sound that Fai was certain would never have come from Kurogane's mother in reality. "What have you done? Why isn't it working?"

The illusion stilled its laughter. The once placid and almost kind face it had adopted was twisted into something vicious now. "My, this man answers to more names than I had thought," it mocked as Fai heard his own voice echo around them, calling out all of the various nicknames Fai had ever given Kurogane.

"I don't…" Fai looked up into Kurogane's face, still horrifically blank. "I don't really know your name, do I?"

Fai cursed. Of all the things he'd been told and lead to believe and given to use as weapons by that evil man so long ago Kurogane's true name hadn't been one of them. The ill-preparedness of it all was ridiculous.

There were other ways to do this. Without warning Fai lashed out at the guardian with a deadly burst of magic, enough to reduce a house to rubble in the time it took to cast. If he could just get it to drop the act that went paired with the illusion he might be able to reach Kurogane enough to get some help. If he could just manage to get Kurogane to tell him his true name Fai would be able to get them back to the house where Syaoran was waiting.

The illusion dodged his attack with ease and Fai hardly had time to register faint pinpricks of magic before the water below him surged and pulled him away, swiping his feet out from under him and knocking him to the ground. He could feel his clothes tearing and he felt the rocks scrape against his skin as he was pulled along the riverbed a short distance, landing him practically behind Kurogane.

"This will be your only chance to leave alive, stranger." The illusion took its place in front of Kurogane again, though the violent expression hadn't changed on its stolen face.

Fai got to his feet defiantly. "Not without him!"

He attacked from several angles this time, careful to not so much as graze Kurogane with his magic. He wound up missing again but the guardian was forced away from Kurogane and that was what mattered. Mindful of the water this time Fai made his way back towards Kurogane, throwing up a barrier to keep the guardian away even for just a little while.

Getting hurt hadn't been a part of his plan, but that didn't mean he couldn't use it to his advantage. Kurogane was protective of those he cared for by nature and Fai hoped that that instinct would be able to help pierce through the enchantment. He gripped the front of Kurogane's shirt and pushed magic into his voice, willing it to work. "Kurogane please, I need help! I need you!"

Again, something flickered in recognition, this time the whole of Kurogane's face changed for the briefest of seconds. It still wasn't enough though and the guardian was about to slip past his barrier. "Kurogane tell me your name! I need you!"

There wasn't even time to gauge Kurogane's reaction. Fai barely had time to move out of the way when he felt magic run through the water again, that time it shoot straight up in a move that would have seriously injured Fai if it had landed.

Fai's barrier had fallen far quicker than he'd expected it to and he had to remind himself that the guardian fed on magic. If he was going to have a chance at besting it he'd have to find another way to fight.

If Kurogane couldn't wake up and help him he had at least left Fai something to defend himself with.

Ginryuu was long, too long for Fai to comfortably handle even if he had been well versed on swordplay. It was still better than nothing, though, and it might have been Fai imagination but he thought that he could feel the blade humming, as eager for battle as the man who usually wielded it. Its polished blade shone in the glowing light from the riverbed as Fai gripped it. He would free Kurogane with Ginryuu's help.

Fai charged at the illusion and took a swipe. He had expected the guardian to dodge but it simply stood there. It was when it started howling in pain and recoiling behind Kurogane that Fai realized that it had thought the sword wouldn't work. He wasn't sure if the guardian couldn't sense the blessing that enveloped the blade or if it had simply not thought it dangerous but either way Fai knew he had something to fight with. The illusion might have been able to move fast, but so could Fai.

"You bastard mortal! You come to my territory and defy my laws!" the illusion hissed. The image of Kurogane's mother blurred around the edges making it look like it was under water almost. "I'll take your soul, magic or no!"

There was no point in banter or even attempting conversation. The only way Fai was getting Kurogane back was to break this monster's hold on him. And that was just what Fai was going to do. The problem was that the damned illusion was using Kurogane as a shield and Fai was no where near competent enough with a sword to chance a swing so close.

Before Fai could figure out a way to safely get the guardian away from Kurogane the illusion took his chin in hand, an action that Fai felt was more of a personal insult that it actually was intended to be, and turned Kurogane's face so that his blank eyes were on Fai.

"Who is he?" it asked in the sweet voice of a mother. "Tell me his name."

Oh no. Little as Kurogane even used his given name, let alone the singular time he'd spoken Fai's proper name, he still knew it. If the guardian got a hold of Fai's name he would have next to nothing in ways of defense. He decided that he was willing to give ramming Ginryuu through the illusion's gut a shot if it would get it away from Kurogane.

He managed to dodge swift water currents attempting to trip him up twice as he finally drew even with the illusion. Ginryuu didn't make it through the illusion, but it did manage a decent gash to its side, forcing the illusion back again.

"Tell me his name!" it screeched.

The illusion must have been a large part of what was keeping Kurogane under, Fai guessed. If it had been mostly the name magic he wouldn't have been able to keep from answering the guardian's demand immediately.

Now was the time for Fai to strike. The illusion was losing its grip and Kurogane was fighting it. The illusion called for Fai's name again while Fai reached his free hand up to trance Kurogane's jaw, noting it was clenched tightly. His brave warrior, Fai thought, knowing that even though he was most likely unaware of most of what was happening he was still fighting to protect Fai.

"Kurogane, love, tell me your name," he said, infusing all of the emotion and magic he could into the words. "I need your help."

This time Kurogane's whole body jerked as he tried to wrestle himself free of the enchantment's grip. Fai urged him again to tell him his proper name while the illusion wailed behind him. Fai was so focused on pulling Kurogane free that he didn't sense the magic flying at him until it was already slamming into him and sending him sprawling down the river.

There was no breaking the guardian's spell with normal means, Fai realized as he pulled himself back to his feet, grabbing Ginryuu up from where it had landed several feet from him. He had one idea left, one last trick that might work. If it didn't, though, he and Kurogane were both doomed. Shifting his magic Fai summoned a small, swirling gust of wind beneath his feet and lifted himself above the water, only enough so that he didn't touch it and give the guardian that much more of an opportunity to stop him. He sheathed Ginryuu as he made it to Kurogane once more.

Fai poured magic into the air around the two of them as he drew Kurogane close. Name magic was terrifyingly powerful, partly due to the fact that casting it was a very flexible affair. All that was needed was the true names of the caster and target as well as enough magic to hold the spell. It could be invoked any way the caster saw fit, and that's exactly what Fai was playing on.

"I entrust my name to you, protect it and me with all your might," Fai commanded. "I need your protection. _Yuui _needs your protection!"

As Fai felt the spell begin to take hold Fai could hear the river guardian howling behind the twisting gust of his magic. Fai knew he had made the right choice when Kurogane's straight back, which had been so still and stiff this whole night, bowed around him, one arm coming around to hold Fai close.

It was progress but Fai still needed more. He could still screw this up if he didn't focus. "Name yourself and protect. Name yourself for Yuui."

Everything in Kurogane's body tensed, his grip around Fai's waist tightened painfully and for a moment Fai thought that he'd failed them both, but under the dull roar of Fai's magic and his own blood beating loudly in his ears he heard it, the softest whisper and just a bit choked.

"You-ou."

When their lives weren't directly on the line Fai would take the time to mull the name over, think about it, taste it properly on his lips, figure out what it was to Kurogane. Maybe he'd be so bold as to ask why he kept it from them. But right now he used it, took it up like a weapon and defended himself with it.

"You-ou," he called over his magic and the roaring of the guardian. "Wake up!"

It was instant, the change in Kurogane's body language as Fai's spell over took the guardian's. Both arms came around Fai and his head snapped up no doubt to take in their surroundings. He must have been very confused, but they didn't have the time for Fai to explain things. He pulled his magic back, keeping the connection between himself and Kurogane as strong as he could without it over taking Kurogane's sense of self and urged his disoriented lover to run.

"What the hell is going on?" Kurogane demanded. Even though Fai's back was to the illusion Kurogane's was not and Fai could tell the exact moment Kurogane spotted it. He froze and his grip around Fai slackened and fell away. "Mother?"

"It's an illusion," Fai insisted, desperate and with no time to explain. "It's trying to kill us!"

Fai looked back at the illusion. It was blurred now, letting go of its image of Kurogane's mother. That didn't help Fai feel anymore at ease as he knew the river had heard his name and being a magic user, Fai was the bigger threat at the moment. He could feel the alien sensation of his mind being invaded and searched and he could do nothing to stop it. The guardian was looking for the best memory to use against him and Fai knew very well which it would be. If he and Kurogane didn't get a move on he wasn't sure how he would fair.

"You-ou, run!" Fai grabbed Kurogane's wrist and they took off with only a shocked look at Fai from Kurogane. He didn't even remember giving Fai his name. "This river guardian uses name magic. Until we're safe behind wards use my real name, it'll keep us safe."

Thankfully, Kurogane didn't argue. He shifted Fai's hold on him so that their hands were clasped together as they ran. "Where are the wards?"

"Syaoran-kun is putting them up around the house as we speak. He should be done-" Fai was cut short by a blast of water in front of them. Together he and Kurogane dove to the side, skidding over the wet stones. When the water had settled itself once more the image of Kurogane's mother was gone but something else just as painful stood in its place.

Fai wondered for a moment why the guardian had taken the form of his brother from before they had been imprisoned in the tower. Bright blue eyes looked up at Fai from a round, childish face. The illusion was even smiling at him, gently, as it reached a hand out to him. It felt like a knife to the heart. Then he remembered, the point of the illusion was to be enticing and he had to admit, it did its job well. He felt frozen in place, staring at the soft, unmarred face of his brother.

He heard Kurogane speaking beside him, but it was hopelessly muffled. Until Kurogane remembered Fai's instructions. "Yuui! Snap out of it! He's not real."

He was right. An illusion was just that, an illusion. He would always regret not being able to save Fai or bring him back to life, but he had promised to let that go. He had Kurogane and Syaoran and Mokona who were real. Sakura who waited for them all in Clow. They were real and this river's tricks were not going to best him. With a jerky shake of his head he stood and the pair of them began to run again.

"Yuui don't leave me!" the illusion called after them and gods above he'd forgotten what his brother's voice had sounded like but there was no doubt he was hearing the perfect mimic of it. "Don't leave me again!"

"Ignore it, ma- Yuui," Kurogane commanded. "Ignore it."

They were almost there. Fai could sense the town not far ahead. They were going to make it.

"You-ou, please come back! I need you!" Kurogane's mother's voice echoed around them. There was no sign of the illusion, but Kurogane had far less in the way defense against the magic the guardian used.

He stumbled for a moment, let loose a string of curses. When Fai looked, though, his eyes were still clear. Fai's magic was keeping Kurogane in control of himself at least, but the guardian's magic was sapping away his strength like it had been the last few days. It wasn't going to stop them.

Fai let go of Kurogane's hand and pulled his arm around his shoulder, hoisting Kurogane up as much as their height differences would allow. Normally, Fai would have the strength to lift Kurogane up into his arms if he wanted to, but after the night he'd had his stamina was running dangerously low. "You-ou keep moving!"

Finally the shore line of the town came into view. As they got closer, their pace slower than Fai would have liked, he noticed the town was still flooded. The sky was still dark and moonless, dawn still a while off. He wondered how far the guardian would pursue them and if Syaoran had managed successfully ward the house. If not Fai would manage, somehow. Wards weren't his strong point, but he could manage well enough.

The entire final stretch of their road back to safety was riddled with small whirlpools and vicious little tides that tried to trip the pair of them up, but Fai was now used to sensing the guardian's magic in the water and he guided them through the obstacles, their biggest difficulty fighting off their tiredness and the guardian's unceasing assault on their minds rather than sidestepping traps laid out for them.

When the house came into sight Fai could see Syaoran's magic cloaking the whole building, offering refuge to his worn companions. "Syaoran-kun!" The quicker they got into the warded house the better off they'd be, help half carrying Kurogane could only be welcomed.

Without hesitation Syaoran came running at the sight of his two companions, grabbing Kurogane's other side without needing instruction and they hauled him and themselves into the house. The second they passed the wards Fai felt the enchantment fall away, leaving only his magic on Kurogane. He was briefly tempted to leave it there, a quiet, harmless string of magic, but without Kurogane's consent the idea quickly became foul and he broke the spell, leaving them free.

"The wards should hold for a few days," Syaoran told him looking them over worriedly. "You should go rest."

Yeah, Fai thought, they really should.

For the first time in days Kurogane woke up feeling like himself. Albeit sore as hell, but the sort of sore that came with a battle or intense training, not the aching that came with sickness. Aside from the memory of his constant ill feeling the last few days were a hazy blur to Kurogane, which was annoying as he took quite a bit of pride in being able to keep track of himself and others.

Fai was draped across him, eyes closed and breathing even, his hair strewn over his face and Kurogane's bare chest. He wasn't sure what about that peaceful image triggered the scattered memories of last night but he began to recall snippets of a very unpleasant night.

Anger was his first reaction. Anger towards this world and its magic, anger at the river spirit and anger at the very thought of his memories of his mother being used by someone. The anger flashed to a jolt of fear upon his realizing that he and Fai could have both very much lost their lives out there. The fear melted quickly into relief because they were safe now, despite some crazy river guardian using their lost loved ones to try and kill them.

Kurogane ran his fingers through Fai's hair, enjoying the silken feel of it as Fai slowly began to wake. The wizard didn't open his eyes, but the playful smile on his lips and the happy nuzzling were more than enough signs that he was awake. Neither of them moved for a while, they just lay there enjoying the comfortable quiet of the morning. Fai eventually opened his eyes and started to absently draw patterns on Kurogane's chest, sometimes even leaving soft streaks of blue in his wake for a few moments before they faded into nothing.

When Fai started fidgeting, though, Kurogane spoke up. "What is it?" He had a pretty good idea of what was on the mage's mind, but he wasn't in the mood to play guessing games.

With a sigh Fai sat up, his hair falling handsomely over his shoulders. Kurogane followed suit, feeling like the conversation they were about to have should be done at least someone vertically. "I know I'm the last person who should be asking you this," Fai started and the tone of his voice had Kurogane itching to smack him upside the head. He held himself in check to let him finish though. "Why didn't you tell us your real name? Why use Kurogane?"

For a moment Kurogane wondered if he'd have to have this talk later with the kid, but once he thought about it he knew Fai hadn't mentioned it to Syaoran. He might have been an idiot, but he wasn't stupid and Fai knew when to respect boundaries and when to push them.

"Kurogane is my family's name," he explained. "We each have a given name that we go by for most of our lives. The head of the family was usually referred to as Lord Suwa. When at war, though, the lord would take up the name Kurogane both to hide that he was the lord of the province from his enemies and also to show he was on the same level as his men, not above them.

"When Suwa was destroyed and Tomoyo took me in I had nothing to swear to her but my proper name. Before last night she was the only one alive who knew it. I gave her my name and took up Kurogane."

It didn't need to be said that he had made that choice as a young man because he felt that he was at war unendingly - with himself and his failings, with the monsters who had destroyed his home, with any future threats to Tomoyo. By the time he had made peace with everything Kurogane had become more his name than You-ou, and just as well. He had no intentions of ever withdrawing his oath.

He had planned on one day telling Fai, though. He felt a bit cheated that it hadn't been done of his own free will - no fault of his or Fai's but of this world. Still, Fai knew now, which was half of the plan. Kurogane had wanted to ask for Tomoyo's approval first, but there was nothing to be done about it now, he might as well finish up with what he had intended. Tomoyo would understand.

"I was going to tell you," he said. Fai looked at him, surprised. "The next time we were in Nihon probably."

They didn't see Nihon as often as he would have liked, hell, they didn't see Clow as often as they would have liked, so he didn't know how long he would have had to wait before telling Fai. Part of him, the impatient, childish part of him, was glad he didn't have to wait any longer. Even if he had to forgo what he considered proper procedure and, though he'd never admit it to anyone, romance.

"You were?" Fai asked, no small amount of wonder in his voice. "Why?"

Inwardly, Kurogane cursed himself. He'd had this planned for weeks, down to the exact wording and several reactions. Now that it was actually time he couldn't open his mouth to speak. He swore he could hear the entirety of the Shirasagi Court laughing at him. He coughed and looked away from Fai, feeling heat creep into his cheeks, hoping his darker complexion would hide it from Fai.

"I had wanted to ask Tomoyo's permission first but- anyway I wanted to ask you," he cleared his throat again and chanced a look at Fai, who was watching him with wide, clueless eyes. He was doomed. "I wanted to ask you if you would, err, marry me. When we were in Nihon again."

Dead silence.

"I had been planning on offering my name as a wedding vow," he continued, getting dangerously close to babbling. "If you had said yes, that is."

More silence.

Kurogane looked over at him. Fai's eyes had gotten even wider and he was covering his mouth with one hand. Slowly, Kurogane reached out and pulled Fai's hand away from his mouth. "Fai?"

"Are you serious?"

The desire to say "No, I'm joking, you should see the look on your face" was strong, but this was not a joke, nor was it something to joke about.

"Completely serious."

Before he knew it he was being tackled back into the bed, Fai's lips pressed to his. Fai's arms wrapped around his shoulders and Kurogane was pretty sure he felt the dampness of tears on Fai's cheeks as he cupped the blond's jaw and deepened the kiss. The delivery could have been better, Kurogane thought, but the reaction was perfect.

Between kisses Fai whispered "yes" over and over.

* * *

**A/N: **Hahah! They're getting married! Of _course _they're getting married.

I also enjoyed being able to worm my headcanon concerning Kurogane's name into this. The climax wasn't as action-packed as I had envisioned it, but writing fight scenes is a bitch and no matter how I tried it would only get so... not awful. I hope you all enjoyed this and that no one was disappointed with the ending. Thank you for reading! Feel free to leave a comment and make my day!


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